Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Secondary Integrated Science Practice test

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Prepare for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Secondary Integrated Science exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations to succeed in your certification.

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Small population sizes can lead to what effect on genetic variation?

Increased levels of mutation
Higher levels of genetic diversity
Random mating patterns
Reduced genetic variation

The correct answer is: Reduced genetic variation

Small population sizes can lead to reduced genetic variation primarily due to the concepts of genetic drift and inbreeding. In smaller populations, random fluctuations in allele frequencies can have a more pronounced effect, which means that certain alleles may become fixed (reach a frequency of 100%) while others are lost altogether. This loss of alleles decreases the overall genetic diversity within the population. Additionally, small populations are more prone to inbreeding, which can further reduce genetic variation by increasing the likelihood of homozygosity for certain traits, especially deleterious ones. This can lead to inbreeding depression, where the fitness of the population declines due to the expression of harmful recessive traits. Therefore, small population sizes do not facilitate mutation or higher genetic diversity but instead result in a significant reduction in genetic variation over time.